Warning: This story may be too disturbing for some readers.
In yet another grim reminder of the connection between cruelty to animals and violence against people, 19 year old Jeffrey Nally, Jr of WV is in jail tonight, charged with kidnapping, domestic battery and 29 counts of animal cruelty. Mr. Nally allegedly tortured puppies to death, forcing his kidnapped girlfriend to watch and afterward, to clean up.
“Mutilated, skinned, anything you can imagine,” [Hancock County Chief Deputy Sheriff Todd] Murray said of the animals, some of which were buried in the suspect’s yard and some of which were wrapped in plastic. Most were puppies.
Nally appears to have used a different tool to kill each dog, “everything from a crossbow, to a drill, saws to hammers,” Murray said.
Nally used classified ads to locate and obtain the dogs, Murray said, often persuading people he’d provide a good home.
While most people who inquire about pets via the classifieds are normal, it is important to obtain and verify references from any potential pet buyer – no matter how the inquirer was referred. People who have owned pets previously should be able to provide a veterinary reference. Anyone who rents should provide a landlord’s name and number to verify their residency and that pets are allowed on the property. First time pet owners can probably provide references of people whose pets they’ve interacted with – either by pet sitting while the owner was away or even just playing with the pet during visits. It’s not good enough just to get the references. You actually have to make the calls and ask questions.
That said, I don’t have a problem with classified ads for pets so long as the potential buyers are properly screened. Not only does screening let the buyer know you care about what happens to the pet you are selling, it also helps to establish a relationship which can be maintained – hopefully for the life of the pet. I want my buyers to know I am there for them if they need anything from housetraining advice to “Help, my wife has suddenly fallen ill and I can no longer care for this dog!”
The good news in this awful WV story is that the girlfriend was rescued and returned to her home. And:
Authorities said a night-long search turned up 29 dog carcasses on the property. Their swift action saved the lives of one pig and three dogs; a Poodle, a black Lab and a Coon hound, rescued by the dog warden in the nick of time.
What happened to this young man to cause him to become a puppy torturer? I think we need to learn more about what causes some people to do this kind of horror. I hope they are checking out his parents or whomever raised him too.
“saved the lives of one pig and three dogs; a Poodle, a black Lab and a Coon hound, rescued by the dog warden in the nick of time.”
Will these dog also end up dead in a “shelter”? Hope not, but are they really “rescued”?
I don’t know about the pig but read a news story that
said the 3 puppies were adopted. Here’s the link–
http://www.wtov9.com/news/27148515/detail.html
Perhaps he should send his resume to the Chesterfield County, SC pound. He seems like their kind of employee.
Needs to get that prison time in first,though–all important qualification!
I dunno, he sounds like PETA material to me.
Maybe he could do both…I’m sure PETA would welcome him with open arms, as would Chesterfield. Heck, maybe they’ll put him in charge at the shelter since everyone wants Brian Burch out so badly…there may be an opening soon….
Yesterday, I read this story in a newspaper and I really wish I hadn’t. The kidnapping charge is what will put this guy in jail. If there is any justice in this world, he will be put in a cell with an animal lover.
To the people who gave puppies to this nut at different time, I believe you should think about having your dog or dogs spayed and neutered. Honestly, why do you keep giving dogs away when people out there are so twisted. To the crazy idiot who killed these pups, you deserve no more less the same type of death these pups experienced. Wonder how you would like to be skinned? Sick human being.
i think most people are open to having their pets sterilized- it just depends on if those resources are available to them (and affordable)
I sure hope that after reading this story quite a few people open their eyes up to what could potentially happen to those oops litters that they give away free-to-good-home AND take heed to get their pets fixed right away. If it had been one of my animals that he had done that too I’d want to guarantee that I never had another oops litter ever again!
This is just disgusting. This guy is a very sick twisted individual. While reading the news articles and combing through the comments I have to wonder about a good portion of society as a whole though. Obviously, there are a lot of animal lovers out there that are so mad about this that they wish that the police had just shot the guy…complaining about how he’s going to sit in jail on their dime until his time’s up and he’s returned to society to kill people. Some of their reactions are just as bad as what this guy did to these animals (and his ex-girlfriend)…I had to stop reading the comments.
Makes me think about people that I know that were too stupid to have their animals spayed/neutered when they should have and ended up with unwanted litters that they gave away “free to good home”…hope their animals didn’t face the same fate. I tell people all the time to get references and CALL THEM! Nobody wants to listen because they think that if they try doing a reference check that it will deter people from wanting the animals because they have to “jump through hoops” – I say if it were an animal that I cared about and someone does want it, then they’d better start practicing their hoop jumping!
The whole story is just sick, sick, sick….
I’ll adopt the puppy torturer.
Of course, if I did, he’d be fed dog food that expired in 1950 for the rest of his life in my rat infested dungeon, while being chained to the wall..with jumper cables hooked up to his……nah, I dont think he’d enjoy living with me.
This is disturbing, extremely so. I have urged the Nevada Humane Society to cease their free animal promotions for the last 4 years. Once a month they get overcrowded and advertise “free” or pick your price, two for one. They say it’s essential to their no kill goal, but one small dog has already been drug to death behind a bicylce and then 2 months later the same person adopted a pitbut which her boyfriend choped to death. Free dogs just because you are no kill is no better than this situation.
It is the appropriate screening of buyers that is important – not the price of the pet. There is no reasonable dollar amount that will deter a psychopath. Even with appropriate screening, it’s possible, though much less likely, that an abuser will slip through. But there is no need to stop giving away pets for free – with appropriate screening – because of the actions of a tiny minority of people.
not only is the price not a deterrent to a psychopath, a price that is too high will prevent a lot of adoptions to families that would give wonderful loving homes to a pet. sometimes people don’t have a couple hundred dollars to pay and it keeps them from adopting, even though they would make great pet parents!
So, if it’s a no kill shelter it’s okay to give away a defenseless animal ? I cannot believe you would actually put that in writing. Your use of the term ” buyer ” conflicts with the statements further down in your post. No kill shelters don’t check backgrounds or screen people, have you lost all touch with reality. At the tent city in Reno over 90% of the homeless people aquired the pet after they were living in a tent. Guess where they got them, at no charge of course. Please don’t use screening and no kill in the same post, it makes you appear foolish.
Believe! With appropriate screening of the buyer (or adopter or whatever word you like), it’s ok by me for anyone to give away a pet – it doesn’t have to be a no kill shelter.
btw, you got anything to back up your claim that over 90% of the people at the tent city in Reno adopted free pets from the Nevada Humane Society?
Greta – Wait a minute? You are saying that just because a shelter is “No Kill” that they don’t do background/reference checks?!?!? I also would like to see where you got the figures that over 90% of the homeless people living in tent city acquired free pets from the NHS as well.
The Reno Gazette Journal published the story with interviews of people at the tent city. Reno made the “city” no pet after it heard of Cooney being cut up with a boxcutter,
Reno gave 30 days notice and kicked the dogs out. Cooney went originally from NHS to the lady who drug her small dog behind her bicycle till it died, she did a couple of days in jail and went back and got Cooney. When the “adopter” went back to jail on another cruelty charge, the dog ( Cooney ) was placed in protective custody at WCRAS. The Northern Nevada SPCA pulled the dog from the County at the request of an ” anonymous adopter” who then did not follow up by taking Cooney. The jailed “adopter” warned the SPCA not to let her ex-boyfriend take the dog, but they did. The boyfriend showed up, said he had bonded with the dog, and yet another no kill shelter put this animal in harms way. Two no kill shelters dumped this dog in less than two months. How much screening do you think went on? My S-I-L is a team member for the homeless people. Now your turn, believe it.
Let me clarify: Do you have any verifiable sources for the claim that 90% of the people at the tent city in Reno got free pets from NHS?
Dear Shirley, or Bisquit, You must do your own footwork as I have mine. I am not sending you links to stories easily confirmed online. There is no lack of ” understanding” and putting text in bold does nothing to “clarify” your request. When the Nevada Humane Society implodes, much like it’s first cousin, Lieds No Kill in Las Vegas, there will be all the clarity you’re unable to find currently. When this gets a nice note from HSUS, or any other outside agency, the truth will be told.
I am a retired vet from SF I have seen the belly of the beast. I was there when Mr. Winograd left.